Hello there. You're probably wondering who I am right about now. My name is Petrola Barton. You are my new companion on my first journey away from home. I hope we can be good friends. I need one. You see, it'll be the first time I'll be away from my family. We all lived on a crowded farm house in the Oaklahoma territory. Life was nice, then my dad struck it big time when he discovered oil on our property. Goodbye fun, hello society. But I can't complain. After living a life of surviving by the day, being rich can have it's perks. Like buying bigger property. And more horses. And self-defense classes. What? A girl has to protect herself somehow. But being wealthy also has it's downfalls. Like my family pretending to be something that they're not. Or the lads that come to the house to court me, but that are only intrested in my pa's money.
Or riding side saddle. Or not being able to milk ol' Betsy any more. Or not being able to pick fights with my brothers. Or not getting that good feeling of being able to earn your living when your crops not being able to wear my trusty old dresses and having to wear corsets. Or ma forcing me to give up sewing and jerky making. Or not skinning an animal for fun. Or not being able to hunt. Or the snakes that come by which happen to be other upper class ladies. Or no smoking home made cigars. Or the refinement classes.
I'm sorry, but after 18 years, wouldn't you think it'd be a little late to teach me to be polite?
As in not spitting chew into a nearby spitoon.
As in not arm wrestling with my pa.
Basically you get the picture.
This stuff went on about a year, until I snapped.
I couldn't take it anymore. I asked my dad to build me my own small cabin on the edge of our property to live like how we used to. But ma wouldn't have it. So I came up with an agreement, well more of them.
They said if I was more than willingly to give up the life God had granted us, to be more humble than fine. But in order to really make up my mind, they said they would send me into the world of riches for several months so that I could see what I would be giving up. If I come back still unwilling to this so-called glamorous life, then they would cut me off, like I asked, but they would still be here as my family.
So here I am in a motor car with my chaperone.
Miss Molly Brown.
I like Miss Molly, she's not like the others.
She understands how I feel, which is rare nowadays.
She became rich a lot similar to us, only they struck gold, not oil.
My Pa met her husband at a retreat in Texas and our families instantly clicked.
Her son even tried to court me, but when he tried to kiss me, I threw cow dung in his face.
Miss Molly laughed about it.
Whe she heard about everything, she volunteered to go somewhere with me.
Orginally we were going to stay in Oaklahoma, but she said If I truly wanted to make up my mind we would need to go some place faraway. So we chose Ireland.
I really just think she always wanted to come here, and needed an excuse to do so.
Plus she knew if I was gonna do this on my own, I would make a run for it.
What can I say?
That woman has an extra sense in her.
So it's just me and her, going to a Manor that she rented out for us.
The bast part?
A small little cottage, 20 ft away from the main house, just for me.
I also know Molly wouldn't force this on me, so if I want to go to a party or something then I'll go on my own accord,
not because she's making me.
Anyway I have to go, I see the house coming into view.
With all my love, Petrola.
October 22nd, 1911 My word the Manor is beautiful, it's so majestic. After I helped Miss Molly get settled into the Manor she gave me permission to go and explore! She said she was tired and wanted to sleep, and that's what she did. So guess what I did?
I didn't even bother to unpack my luggage when I got the the cottage. I just cut off my corsett and shimmied myself into one of my old dresses. I took a small amount of money, and my satchell, and rode off into the small town an hour away, on one of them horses that the stables had.
Rather than go to the city which only 20 minutes away, I rode that horse a good solid hour, I found myself in a small town.
And guess what else?
No side saddle, honey!
I rode it like the man my pa taught me to be.
There was a farmer's market in the middle of the town square, a white church, a small school, and a big factory.
But the thing that caught my eye was the Brewery.
I mean pub...or bar?
Either way after I tied my horse down, I went in.
Can't blame me.
It's been a long time since this girls had a good beer.
So I went in, only to see a wonderful sight.
Smoke drifting everywhere from cigarettes, men dancing with girls, music everywhere.
It was like the old shindigs ma and pa would throw for pa's birthday when we were younger.
I made my way through the crowd to the bar.
A man saw me and yelled over to me.
"And what is it ye be having young lady?"
"Any kind of beer you got!"
The bartender quirked an eyebrow (probably at my american accent) and got my a mug filled with dark yellow beer.
I drank it fast, savoring every bit.
I brang out my little satchell and gave the bartender 2 dimes.
"Another please!"
He smirked and filled another for me.
"Here ye are, lil' missy."
I drank it until halfway.
"I've never seen a girl drink as much as you before miss."
I turned to find the voice of the man who had spoken to me.
He had on a brown sweater, a white undershirt, and pants.
He had curly brown hair, sticking out from his black bowling cap, and remarkable green eyes.
He was smoking a cigarette, and looked to be very muscular, as if from manual labor.
"Is that supposed to be an insult or compliment?"
He smirked and leaned against the bar.
"It all depends on how you want it to be."
I smiled into my mug. I was begining to like this man.
"Well I can tell you right now you're never going to find out how I take it."
His smirk grew.
"And why is that?"
I drank the rest of my beer and put the empty mug behind me.
"Because, it's more fun that way."
The man feigned hurt over his heart.
"Ah your breaking me heart missy. What can I do to make it up to ya?"
I held out my hand to shake his.
"You can give me your name for starters. Petrola Barton, nice to meet ya."
The man smiled, not smirked, but smiled and stood up straight.
"I'm Tommy Ryan. "
He shook my hand hard.
I shook it even harder.
"So all you need is to know is my name?"
"No I also want to know if your feet are as good as your handshakes. Can you dance?"
He mock bowed toward the wooden dance floor.
"After you mi'lady."
I mock curtsied.
"Thank you, fine gentleman."
I went ahead of him to the dance floor, where very fast tempo'd music was playing.
He grabbed me by the waist to bring me in closer, to where our chests were touching. I put one hand on his shoulder, the other in his hand.
Then we were off. We span in circles around other couples all around the dance floor. We stepped on each other's feet, but laughed about it anyway. He even picked me up like a new blushin' bride and spun me around after the song finished.
I had so much fun!
We headed back to the bar laughing.
"You should not dance professionally!"
"Me? You stepped on my foot!"
"That was your foot?"
"Yes!"
"I thought that was her foot." Tommy pointed to an old woman who hadn't left her seat the entire time that I've been there.
We both looked at one another, and just burst out laughing.
I shook my head at our sillines. Doing so I noticed the sun had already gone down, through one of the windows.
My expression of giddyness turned to one of worry.
"Oh no!"
Tommy stopped laughing when he saw my face. "What's the matter?"
"It's far too late to even navigate my way back home."
I looked at him when an idea popped into my head.
"Is there an Inn I might be able to stay at?"
Tommy shook his head.
"The only Inn is the one you're standing in, but women aren't allowed to stay by themselves."
My hope dropped.
"But the church offer's refuge to those who might need it for the night. Me mum helps out so I can see if she can get a place ready for you."
I could barely contain my gratefulness. I wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped up and down excitedly.
"Really? Oh thank you, thank you thank you!"
"No problem. C'mon, let's go before it get's any later."
"Okay." He took my hand and led me through the crowd.
We made our way outside. I looked up. The sun had already gone down, but the moon took it's place. And it's little friends twinkled across the sky, like the most priceless dimonds.
I went over to my horse, untied him, and spun back around to see Tommy lighting another cigarette.
I walked over to him, leash in hand and said, "Which way?"
"This be the way." We walked down the now quiet and abandoned street toward the church.
I took Tommy's cigarette from his mouth.
"So Tommy,-I took a drag and let it out,-tell me about yourself."
"What would you like to know?"
"Anything and everything."
His eyebrows furrowed together in concentration.
Then you can see his train of thought stop.
"My name is Tommy Ryan. I'm 23 years old and I was born and raised in this small town of Manschief, Ireland. I have a job a farmer and a factory worker. I've been working since I was but a wee boy of 9. I never finished school. I live in a small house with my 5 brothers and sisters, all younger than me. My mum manages the farm, while me dad is away working in the shipyard. Someday I want to get out of here, and own me own land over in America. I want to go over there while I'm still young and able to work. I'll get married over there, and raise a family. So what about you?"
I smiled.
"I was born and raised in the Oaklahoma terrirtory, in the small town of Greenbow. My pa has his own small plot of land he earned in the Oaklahoma land rush. I have 4 older brothers. My pa and I go hunting, fishing, and farming together. I can skin animals, make jerky, sew, cook, and I can play the fiddle. My ma tends to smother me too much so I came here with one of our family friends to get away from everything. We'll be here for a while, then we'll head back to Oaklahoma. I want own land, with a forest in the back, and a field out front. It'll have a small cabin, and cows and horses and chickens."
He laughed.
"You sound so determined to live on your own. Don't ya want to get married and have kids?"
"Yes, if I meet the right man. But he has to respect that I have dreams to. That I want to live my life first."
We got to the church in time to see a blonde woman exiting out of the front door.
"Hold on a second." Tommy said to me.
"Mum!"
He ran over to the woman. "Dear lord, Thomas, aren't you supposed to be home by now? What are you doing running about this hour?"
"Mum, I met someone who need's a place to stay. Is the church available?"
"Deary I just closed it."
"But mum, she need's it. You know the Inn's policy about women."
"She? Women?"
Tommy's mom looked over his shoulder to notice me there, with my horse.
"Oh Tommy! She's beautiful!"
"Oh mum! I know, but we just met so don't even think about those grandkids."
"Oh alrighty, I'll go open it on up. The lord knows it's not safe for a lady to travel on her own at night."
So I said goodnight to Tommy and went to bed in a compfy room that a nun was staying in as well.
I left as soon as the sun rose, and I rode all the way to the cottage. I didn't even bother putting the horse back, I was beat.
Then I woke up and started to write in you.
Well I'm going to hit the hay once more. With all my love, Petrola.
October 27th, 1911 I'm sorry I haven't written. I've been busy helping Molly clean the Manor, and going into town to do some sightseeing.
Though while we were in the city, I saw the shipyard. I think it's the one Tommy talked about.
The men there were almost finished with a new ship, that's due to set sail in April, from England. Molly was so impressed by it. It's the newest ocean liner from the White Star Line.
It's called the Titanic. Rumor has it, it'll be unsinkable.
Oh what would that be like? To sail a ship that's never to sink! The saftey that ensure makes me want to sail it myself.
Any who, I haven't been able to go to Manschief at all, but get this:
Miss Molly is going to a Halloween ball at some snooty old ladies house, so I'll be here by myself.
You know what that mean?
It means me and Bucky the Horse will take another trip to our favorite small town.
Hopefully I get to see Tommy again.
Oh darn, Miss Molly is a comin', so I gotta go.
With all my love, Petrola.
October 30th, 1911.
I have a mask and costume. Apperently Manschief throws a big Halloween festival every year in the towns square.
I betcha' I'll see Tommy there.
With all my love, Petrola